Introduction

The impact of high blood pressure (HBP) on seminal parameters in infertile men has been partly analysed. We assessed the prevalence of HBP, along with clinical and seminal impact of HBP in white-European men presenting for couple’s infertility.

Methods

Complete data from 2196 consecutive infertile men were analyzed. HBP was defined as blood pressure >140/90 mmHg. Comorbidities were scored with the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI; categorized 0 vs. ≥1). Semen analysis followed 2010 WHO reference criteria. Descriptive statistics tested the association between semen parameters, clinical characteristics and HBP. Clinical data of infertile men were compared with those of a homogeneous cohort of 394 age-comparable fertile men (as for WHO definition).

Results

Of all, HBP was found in 162 (7.4%) infertile men. HBP was more frequent in infertile than fertile individuals [162 (7.4%) vs. 17 (4.3)%; p=0.003]. Among infertile patients, hypertensive men were older (p<0.001), had a greater BMI (p<0.001) and a higher rate of CCI≥1 (p<0.001) than non-hypertensive. Mean value of testicular volume (F=4.7; p=0.03) and total testosterone (F=6.4; p=0.01) were lower for hypertensive men. Conversely, patients with HBP had higher LH (F=9.7; p=0.002) and tPSA (F=6.5; p=0.01) levels. Overall, oligozoospermia, asthenozoospermia and theratozoospermia were found in 694 (31.6%), 789 (35.9%) and 679 (30.9%) patients, respectively, with no differences between hypertensive and non-hypertensive men. Similarly, mean ejaculated volume, total progressive motility and sperm morphology did not differ between groups. At MVA, testicular volume (OR 0.8, p<0.001) and FSH (OR 1.2, p<0.001) were independent predictor of lower sperm concentration, after accounting for age, CCI, presence of varicocele and HBP. Likewise, only testicular volume was associated with lower motility (OR 0.9; p=0.03) and lower sperm morphology (OR 0.96; p=0.01) after adjusting for the same variables

Conclusions

HBP was more frequent in infertile than fertile men. Cross-sectionally, infertile men with HPB had worse clinical and hormonal parameters than men non-hypertensive men. Conversely, HBP did not seem to negatively impact on seminal parameters._x000D_

Funding

none